New Capitol Hill sports bar 95 Slide was the joint for the “after party” following a public hearing earlier this month on a possible new Sonics NBA arena in Seattle. Support for the plan backed by hedge fund manager — and hopeful arena investor — Chris Hansen seems strong among the Pike/Pine nightlife crowd. Even Neumos is in on the act. Monday night, the debate comes to us. Publicola — back from the dead and now powered by the same company that runs Seattle Metropolitan magazine — is bringing a public forum on the arena deal to Capitol Hill:

Does Seattle Need a New Arena?

Join PubliCola at Seattle Met to kick off its ThinkThank forums with a panel of supporters and critics of the $454 million arena proposal to build a new arena and bring the Sonics back to Seattle.

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PubliCola at Seattle Met’s own Josh Feit and Erica Barnett will moderate. 

Panelists include:

• Mike Salk – host of 710 ESPN’s morning sports talk show Brock and Salk, Salk has been leading the coverage on the controversial arena proposal, truth squaring the Seattle Times coverage and keeping basketball fans up to speed on the facts.
• Mike O’Brien – Seattle City Council member who wants the deal to work, but isn’t afraid to ask hard questions about taxpayer guarantees.
• Peter Steinbrueck- former Seattle City Council president and possible 2013 mayoral candidate has been a leading critic of the proposal.
• Tom Albro – Seattle Port Commissioner who has been outspoken against the stadium 

5pm	Doors open
5-9pm	Food and drink specials at EVO Tapas Kitchen & Cabaret
	$4 special shots
	$2 off pitchers of sangria and beer
	$1 off bottled beer, well liquor and house red and white wine
	$8 flatbread pizzas
	$2 hummus and croquettes
7-8:30pm	SoDo Panel Forum

EVO is located at 1715 E Olive Way. Free tickets for the event were still available here as of Thursday night.

Neumos is arena positive (Image: CHS)